Michael J. Barren earned his J.D. from The Ohio State University College of Law in 1983. He received his B.A. in Economics from Princeton University in 1980. He was previously a Partner with the law firm of Porter, Wright, Morris & Arthur and served as Chairman of the Collections Law Department and member of the Financial Institutions and Commercial Law Department. Mr. Barren was formerly a Major in the Army Reserve JAG Corps, having previously served as Senior Trial Defense Counsel with the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General Corps. Mr. Barren concentrates his practice in the areas of creditors’ rights, workouts, commercial litigation, foreclosures, bankruptcy and commercial law.

He is a board member of Recreation Unlimited and a member of the Princeton University Alumni Schools Committee, and active in the Worthington Schools and Worthington Youth Boosters. He also served as a member of the Worthington Municipal Development Commission, Knights of Columbus, Worthington Schools Strategy for Success, and Leadership Worthington.

He is a member of the Columbus Bar Association, Ohio State Bar Association, Federal Bar Association and Commercial Law League of America. Mr. Barren was admitted to practice in Ohio in 1983, the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio in 1984, the U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio in 2002, the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals in 1993 and the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals in 2000.